The present invention relates to an Internet camera which is to be connected to the Internet for transmitting image data files to a predetermined site of a file server on the Internet.
Conventionally, a digital camera has been widely used. The digital camera captures an image, converts the image to digital data, and stores the digital image data in the form of data files in a storage device such as a hard disk.
Recently, as an application of the digital camera, an Internet camera has been used. An example of the Internet camera is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/204,289, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The conventional Internet camera typically includes a network interface such as a modem for sending the data files via the Internet, and a data transfer client such as an FTP (File Transfer Protocol according to RFC 959) client for controlling the network interface in order to transfer the data files stored in the storage device to a predetermined site of a file server such as an FTP server on the Internet.
The Internet camera includes a memory in which a configuration data file is stored. The Internet camera operates (e.g., captures the images and transmits the image data files) according to the configuration data file. The configuration data typically includes an address of the predetermined site, a password for uploading the data file to the server, and data for identifying quality of the captured images.
When a user of the Internet camera updates the configuration data file to change the settings of the camera in order to modify its operation, the user uploads a modified configuration data file on the predetermined site, to which the image data files are transmitted from the Internet camera. The conventional Internet camera then downloads the modified configuration data file, overwrites the modified configuration data file on the configuration data file stored in the memory. Generally, the modified configuration data file is uploaded from a client, which is remote from the Internet camera, through the Internet.
However, file servers on the Internet do not generally permit a plurality of clients to upload files at the same time. Further, the file servers do not generally permit double log-in. Therefore the user of the conventional Internet camera cannot upload the modified configuration file when the conventional Internet camera is transmitting an image data file to the file server.